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Minnesota Vikings' path to playoffs: 'If we just win, it takes care of itself'

By Ben Goesslingbgoessling@pioneerpress.com

Posted:
12/17/2012 12:01:00 AM CST

Updated:
12/17/2012 11:38:15 PM CST

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder spikes the ball after running for a touchdown in the first quarter against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis on Sunday, December 16, 2012. (Pioneer Press: Ben Garvin)

With two games left in the season, the Vikings are in the thick of a playoff race, occupying a position few expected them to hold before the season. And rookie offensive tackle Matt Kalil, for one, will allow himself to enjoy the spoils.

"Oh, of course, I'll check out the little different scenarios," he said after the Vikings beat the St. Louis Rams and improved to 8-6 Sunday, Dec. 16. "But if we just win, it takes care of itself. That's all we're focused on."

When Kalil looks at the tiebreakers between the Vikings and the four other NFC teams at 8-6, he'll find the odds of the team reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2009 improve if it takes care of business in its final two games and ends the season at 10-6. That way, the Vikings have a much better chance of avoiding a thicket of different outcomes that don't look particularly good for them.

They would lose a tiebreaker to the Washington Redskins because they lost a head-to-head meeting Oct. 14. The New York Giants have one more conference win than the Vikings, and the Dallas Cowboys have two more conference games to get to 7-5 in the NFC and improve their resume for a tiebreaker.

The Vikings have a good chance to beat the Chicago Bears in a tiebreaker. But the rest of the scenarios? Well, the Vikings would have a better chance if they just win out.

"I won't even try (to figure it out)," coach Leslie Frazier said. "I'll be really focusing on how we can beat a very, very good football team.

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The Houston Texans, that's the most important thing, without question."

If the Vikings can get to 10-6, there's little question they'll have earned it. The Texans are tied for the best record in football at 12-2, and they've lost just once at home this season.

They have the NFL's third highest-scoring offense, and their defense, led by AFC sack king J.J. Watt, has given up the seventh-fewest points in the league while allowing the fifth-fewest rushing yards.

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson finds an opening for an 83-yard touchdown run in the second quarter against the Rams. (Pioneer Press: Ben Garvin)

"(Defensive coordinator) Wade (Phillips) has always been heavy on eight (defenders) in the box," Frazier said. "That's been him, wherever he's been. He's a staunch believer in stopping the run and finding some corners that can play man-to-man. They found that in Houston and that's one of the reasons their defense has improved the way it has."

That's the first test. The second will come Dec. 30 against the Green Bay Packers, who have clinched the NFC North, have linebacker Clay Matthews back and could get several other key players back from injury, as well.

The final two teams on the Vikings' schedule are a combined 22-6, which is by far the toughest slate any of the NFC's 8-6 teams will face in their final two weeks. The good news for Minnesota is that wins in those two games -- or even one -- would give the team a boost in the strength-of-victory tiebreaker, which could wind up deciding the race.

Before the season, not many people expected the Vikings to be doing playoff brain-busters in mid-December. The challenge that lies in front of them, then, is also a reward.

"We don't want to be out here going through the motions and knowing our season is done," defensive tackle Kevin Williams said Sunday. "We still have a chance, and that's the way we're taking it."